Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has called Benfica boss José Mourinho a “visionary” and one of the all-time greats ahead of their Champions League clash at St James’ Park on Tuesday.
Howe, who has only beaten Mourinho once in eight previous meetings, said he “hugely admired” the former Chelsea manager, noting that Mourinho “broke the mould” for modern coaching and had a “big impact” on his development.
Mourinho, in turn, expressed his affection for the Magpies, calling himself “a little Magpie” due to his bond with his late mentor, Sir Bobby Robson.
He praised Howe’s team for their stability and predicted they are “even closer to bigger things” after winning the Carabao Cup last season.
Despite the mutual admiration, Howe was focused on the match: “The line stops tomorrow. When the game kicks off, we want to win. We are desperate for the points.”
Newcastle, coming off a 2-1 loss to Brighton, face a nervous wait on midfielder Sandro Tonali, who is a doubt due to illness.
